LEDs light Sharp's newest line of HDTVs

Yesterday, Sharp announced its newest HDTV line, the Aquos LED series. As its name implies, the Aquos LED HDTVs use LED backlighting instead of conventional CCFL. Because LEDs lack the toxic chemicals of CCFL backlights, use far less energy, and last longer, they present a temptingly green alternative to "conventional" backlighting. LED backlighting has gained popularity over the last year, with Sony, Samsung, and Vizio announcing numerous LED-lit models. This will be Sharp's first broad release of LED HDTVs.

According to Sharp, each new Aquos LED model far exceeds Energy Star 3.0 standards, and consumes much less power than similarly-priced Sharp LCD screens from last year. The company also estimates that the new models will last much longer, expecting 100,000 hours for every screen.

U.S. I.T.C. blunts Sharp imports

The U.S. International Trade Commission is banning imports of certain models of Sharp LCD, due to an ongoing 2007 patent dispute with Samsung. Out of four patent infringement claims from Samsung, an ITC judge ruled that one was indeed violated by , leading the commission to block Sharp imports.

The ban affects Sharp's ability to sell LCD HDTVs, along with computer monitors and other devices that use LCDs. The ITC hasn't issued a final ruling yet, but the ban will be upheld for the time being.

— Will Greenwald

Forget RGB, Sharp is developing CYRGB displays

Since time immemorial (or at least, since color televisions have been available), TVs have used 3 colors: red, green, and blue. Combinations of these three color building blocks produced the increasingly wide spectrum of colors you now see on the screen in front of you. Print, meanwhile, almost always uses 4 colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. RGB is an additive color space, meaning the three colors combine to form white. CMYK is a subtractive color space, meaning the three main colors form black, or "K."

Sharp is working on incorporating cyan and yellow into the red-green-blue color set displays currently use. According to the company, this CYRGB color set can reproduce over 99% of visible surface colors (paints, pigments, and other colors that reflect, rather than emit, light).

CES 2009: Sharp's Latest Lineup

Sharp has some big plans for 2009. While TV combos used to be the ultimate in low-class technology, Sharp is coming out with a new line of Aquos LCD displays with built-in Blu-ray/DVD/CD players. Very classy indeed. The sets will be available in 32-inch, 37-inch, 42-inch, 46-inch, and 52-inch models. The three largest models will all feature 120Hz Fine Motion.

Also for 2009, Sharp will introduce . . .

Sharp Aquos LCD Blu-ray Bundle

Right now, B&H is offering a Sharp Blu-ray/AQUOS TV bundle. However, it looks like Sharp is sharing the joy, from now until January 31, 2009.  Buy a select TV, and get a free Sharp BD-HP21U Blu-ray player. What something a bit spiffier? Buy one of those aforementioned select TVs, and get $300 off the BD-HP50U. Which can be found for around, well, $300. You do the math.

Both Blu-ray players are Profile 1.1 and JPEG view, and AQUOS LINK.

Keep reading to see which Sharp AQUOS models are eligible for this special offer.

Sharp Sharing Hope This Holiday Season

''Tis the season indeed! Have you seen this gorgeous display at NY's Grand Central Station? Get yourself quickly down to check out the AQUOS Experience, complete with a 26-foot tall tree created from 43 Sharp AQUOS LCD TV. To create the towering effect, screen sizes vary from 19-inch to 52-inch.

The TVs can be won in a sweepstakes after the holidays, and Sharp will donate a dollar for every entry to the sweeps. Sharp is making a rather large donation to The HOPE Program, a charity that helps participants find, keep and advance in jobs. With this donation from Sharp, The HOPE Program will launch the "Green Collar Project," to help find jobs in the environmental field.

See what Sharp had to say about the project . . .

Sharp Aquos LCD with Built-in Blu-ray, Shipping January

Not long ago, the ultimate bottom-of-the-line system was a TV with a built-in VCR. Remember those abominations? Not really what you would call high-end.

Sharp is getting ready to ship two products that are gonna make you think twice about that stereotype. Sharp is getting ready to debut two 1080p Aquos LCD TVs with built-in Blu-ray players. In fact, they'll play Blu-ray, DVD, or CD. Nice.

Two sizes will be available. The first . . .

Sharp AQUOS with Built-in Blu-ray

Remember how low-class it was to have a TV with a built-in VCR?  No one would ever take that seriously. What if an HDTV had a built-in Blu-ray player?  Better yet, add in an HDTV tuner too. Not too shabby, right?

Sharp is doing just that with their new AQUOS DX product line. In a variety of sizes ranging from 26-inches all the way up to 52-inches, these all-in-one units are just perfect for the techno-phobe who still wants the advantages of HD and Blu-ray.

Eternal Sunshine of the Sharp Solar-Powered LCD

It's not clear whether Sharp is showing their latest prototype as a for-real solar powered LCD screen, or if it's a dramatic visualization on how little power is required to run this new 52-inch TV.

Using a solar panel just a bit bigger than the ultra-thin set itself, this television will run as long as the sun is shining on the panel — it doesn't have any type of battery, so it can't store that power for use at night or cloudy days. A battery should be easy enough to add in the future.

Why does it use so little power?

CEDIA: LCD a plenty at Sharp

Sharp will be celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2012, and part of their core philosophies for the big event is to create energy saving and energy creating products and “achieve ubiquity for LCDs by integrating Sharp LCD technology into familiar products to offer new possibilities.”

For those who can’t wait four more years, Sharp had a slew of new sets and two new Blu-ray players on display for you to enjoy now.